Image-Line Releases Drumaxx – Percussion Synth Modeler

Posted on Feb 25, 2010

Image-Line has released Drumaxx, a percussion modeling instrument that gives the user control over 16 physically modeled drum pads that can be routed to independent outputs for external effects processing.

Drumaxx is not based on samples or even commonly used synthesis techniques, where oscillators are mixed and the result is always electronic. Drumaxx uses modeling algorithms to create bass drums, hi-hats, snares, realistic and electronic sounds too. But what about the traditional Achilles’heel’ of synthesis, cymbals? Drumaxx creates cymbals and metallic percussion also.

At the core of Drumaxx is a model where the vibrating membrane is represented as a mesh of interconnected points. Each point is given physical properties including mass, inertia, stiffness, damping, and all that good physics stuff. For the musician, this means Drumaxx gives you control over multiple parameters such as material, thickness, tension and shape. More importantly, the parameters can be modulated in real-time as a function of velocity or external controls. The drum body is also under user control too, including body material, size, vibration damping, and shape. All this gives you multi-dimensional performance options, a Matrix of variables providing nearly infinite possibilities.

Image-Line is launching Drumaxx with the pay what you think it’s worth system. Until the 31st of March you can pay a minimum of $13 / €9 to cover our costs. Image-Line will donate $1 from each sale to support Haiti earthquake victims. Sounds like a Win-Win to us!! More information on Image-Line Drumaxx.